Tag Archives: nutrition

B.Y.O.G “BRING YOUR OWN GOAL”

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30 Day Health Challenge – starts Monday January 9th

This is not a typical shape-up challenge, this is YOUR challenge. Make a habit, shake a habit, win some cool prizes, stay accountable and receive support from a certified nutrition and fitness coach.

Select a category, choose your own goal and away you go!

$75.00 registration fee includes:
  • Chance to win $500 cash and other cool prizes
  • Jumpstart Nutrition Guide (nutrition basics, meal & snack ideas, etc)
  • Unlimited email access to health coach for nutrition, fitness & health questions
  • Weekly recipes and health tips
  • Easy tracking via Google sheet
  • 20% discount on Healthy by Heidi services (www.healthbyheidi.com)

Possible categories are (but not limited to): 

  • Weight or body fat loss
  • Muscle gain
  • Break a habit (sugar, alcohol, fast food, caffeine, etc)
  • Create a habit (go vegetarian, eat breakfast daily, meditate, work out regularly, etc)

**Have another category in mind? I’d be happy to discuss it with you.

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE Once you register you will receive your Jumpstart Nutrition Guide and information on how to get started.

Already starting a program like Weight Watchers, meal delivery or a cleanse? Perfect! Use those tools to help you reach your goal during this 30 day challenge.

Massaged Kale Salad

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  • 10 oz. kale (Dino kale works best)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon or a pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or feta
  • 2 tablespoons minced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. balsamic glaze
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
  • 1 cup fresh orange segments or canned mandarins (optional)

Remove and discard the stems from the kale. Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl with 1/8 teaspoon salt and the olive oil. Grab the leaves by the handful and massage them for a minute or two. The coarse, stiff leaves will turn soft and smooth. You will end up with about half the volume of kale you started with.

Add the fruit, cheese, onion and nuts  Stir well to combine. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the salad and stir to coat.

FALL INTO HEALTH – 28 DAY SHAPE-UP CHALLENGE

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cropped-healthy_lifestyle.jpg

Begins Monday September 19th 

Did some of your health goals take a back seat during the summer? With summer winding down and the kids back in school it’s the perfect time to get your health back on track. 

Join me for a 28 day challenge, get a jump start on your health and receive inspiration and support from a certified health and fitness coach along the way. The holidays are going to be here before you know it!

$65 registration fee includes:
*(discounted rates available below)*
  • Jumpstart Nutrition Guide (nutrition basics, meal & snack ideas, etc)
  • Weekly recipes and health tips
  • Unlimited email access to health coach for nutrition, fitness and health questions
  • Private Facebook group (optional) for extra encouragement and health coaching support
  • 25% discount on Healthy by Heidi services. Tailor the challenge to your needs by adding on a customized meal plan, weekly phone sessions, etc.
  • Chance to win $$, prizes and a healthier you!
*Winners will be selected based on total weight loss (percentage of starting weight) plus bonus points for achieving your personal weight loss goal.  

 

Already starting a program like Weight Watchers or a cleanse? Perfect! Use those tools to help you reach your goal during this 28 day challenge.

Once you register you will receive a link for payment, your Jumpstart Nutrition Guide and details on how to get started.

FIRST 5 SIGN-UPS ELIGIBLE FOR RAFFLE PRIZE

SPECIAL RATES

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL $55 (register by September 14th)

JOIN WITH A FRIEND FOR $45 EACH

Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta and Mint Salad 

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Ingredients:

  • 1/4 watermelon, diced into bite-sized chunks
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced into bite-sized chunks
  • 2 ounces feta, crumbled
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4-5 fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Toss the watermelon and cucumber together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and sprinkle with feta and mint.

2016 30 DAY HEALTH CHALLENGE “Bring your own goal”

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Challenge begins Monday January 11th 

Let’s be real, New Year’s resolutions are more like suggestions. Did you know only 8% of people stick to them? This is YOUR challenge. Select a category, choose a goal and away you go!

Make a habit, shake a habit, have some fun, share what works with others, win some cool prizes, stay accountable and get support from a certified nutrition and fitness coach.

$100 registration fee includes:

  • Chance to win $500 cash prize
  • Jumpstart Nutrition Guide (nutrition basics, meal & snack ideas, etc)
  • Unlimited email access for nutrition/fitness/health questions
  • Weekly recipes and health tips
  • Weekly prizes
  • Easy tracking via Google sheet
  • 25% discount on Healthy by Heidi services

Possible categories are: 

  • Weight or body fat loss
  • Muscle gain
  • Break a habit (sugar, alcohol, fast food, caffeine, etc)
  • Create a habit (go vegetarian, eat breakfast daily, meditate, work out regularly, etc)

**Have another category in mind? I’d be happy to discuss it with you. 

Winner will be selected by a total number of points earned for: 
  • Reaching your personal goal
  • Weekly health challenges
  • Additional bonus points to be announced

PLEASE REGISTER BY JANUARY 8TH 

To register or for more info: email heidi@healthybyheidi.com. Once you register you will receive a link for payment, your Jumpstart Nutrition Guide and information on how to get started.

**Already starting a program like Weight Watchers, meal delivery or a cleanse? Perfect! Use those tools to help you reach your goal during this 30 day challenge.

DIY SORE THROAT & COLD REMEDY

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Lemon, Ginger and Cayenne Tea 

In a large mug combine:
  • 1-2 tablespoons of honey (raw honey is best)
  • The juice of half of a fresh lemon
  • 1- 2 teaspoons of freshly grated or minced ginger (easiest way to peel ginger is with the edge of a spoon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • Add boiling water, stir and let it sit for a few minutes. For stronger flavor add more of any of the ingredients.
If you’re ready to kick it up a notch, here’s another version I call ‘Fuego’.
Fuego Tea
  • Combine everything in a small saucepan.
  • Juice of one fresh squeezed lemon
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • 2- 3 garlic cloves, skin removed, cut into chunks
  • Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Strain through a funnel into a mug.

TIPS TO PREPARE A HEALTHIER HOLIDAY FEAST

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 HEALTHY TIPS:

  • Use low fat or non-fat milk to replace whole milk.
  • Use low fat cheeses to replace full fat cheeses.
  • Use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs.
  • Use olive oil for salad dressings.
  • Make gravy from low fat broth instead of poultry drippings.
  • Cook meats on a rack so the fat drips out. Cook your turkey on a grill.
  • Steam, bake or roast your vegetables. Offer many sides of vegetables.
  • For mashed potatoes use skim milk, non-fat sour cream or plain yogurt and very little butter.
  • Offer sauces on the side.
  • Cook stuffing in a casserole dish, rather than inside the poultry.
  • Make cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries and add less sugar.
  • Cut the amount of sugar in a dessert recipe by ¼ of a cup.
  • Use agave nectar to replace sugar.
  • Use applesauce in place of oil for desserts.
  • Offer fruit based desserts.

 

TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY DURING THE COLD & FLU SEASON

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The best guard against colds or the flu is to keep your immune system healthy. Here are some tips to help boost your immune system:

Wash your hands frequently. Use regular soap and water and rub hands vigorously for several seconds. Limit antibacterial gel use for when you don’t have easy access to soap and water.

Eat colorful fruits and vegetables. Eat these foods raw or lightly steamed; don’t overcook or boil them. You don’t want to zap their nutrients. Most colorful foods are high in antioxidants which help fight off colds, flu and other infections.

Take a daily probiotic. Over 80% of the immune system is in our gut. Probiotics keep the gut healthy and happy. Look for one that is: refrigerated, multi-strain and over a billion per capsule.

Drink green tea daily. High in antioxidants and good for natural energy.

Add a packet of Emergen-C powder to your water bottle daily. These packets contain a large dose of vitamin C and come in various flavors.

Make sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep nightly, even more when you are feeling run down. Your body repairs and recovers while you sleep.

Attempt to keep your stress level down. Take a walk, listen to music or simply breathe deeply for 2 minutes. Stress has a damaging effect on the immune system.

Listen to your body. If you feel “off” or run down, take it easy. It takes extra energy for our bodies to fight off illness and to heal.

Consider herbal or homeopathic remedies. You can find these at Whole Foods, Pharmaca or health food stores. Keep something on hand and at the first sign of imbalance, take a natural “immune boosting” supplement such as “Defense Plus” by NutriBiotic. If you already have a bug, try Oil of Oregano capsules, Umcka or another elderberry based remedy.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP OAT BARS

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Ingredients

  • 3 cups oats (gluten-free if desired)
  • 2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips (vegan if desired)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8×11 or 9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Make oat flour: Place oatmeal into blender or food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.
  3. Measure out just 2 1/2 cups of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla extract, oil, and applesauce for 1-2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Slowly add in oat flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  5. Gently fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 15-25 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. After baking cool for 10 minutes on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Notes: Bars can be frozen. Simply bake, cool, cut; store in ziploc bag. Reheat individually for 30 seconds in microwave.

*adapted from http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com

BAKED KALE CHIPS

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Ingredients
1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Optional: add 1 tsp of any spice you like. Garlic, lemon pepper, etc.

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Remove leaves from the ribs and tear into bite sized pieces. Allow to dry or chips may come out chewy. In a bowl toss kale with olive oil and salt. Lay on a baking sheet and add additional seasoning if desired. Bake until crisp – approximately 15 – 20 minutes.

WHY GREENS ARE SO GOOD FOR YOU

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Did you know that 100 calories of kale has more protein than 100 calories of beef? That’s right! Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems. Dark green leaves are an excellent source of omega-3s (a good fat). Examples of some dark leafy greens are : arugula, kale, chard, cabbage and broccoli.

FUN FACT: Most people think of salmon as a great source of omega-3s, but salmon themselves don’t actually produce omega-3. They get it from what they eat, which includes smaller oily feeder fish that eat omega-3-rich algae. Algae, not salmon, is the original source of omega-3s. 

ROASTED CHICKPEAS

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INGREDIENTS

  • Can of garbanzo beans
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Seasoning/herbs of choice

PREPARATION

  • Drain and rinse the can of beans
  • Lay the beans on a paper towel and pat dry with another paper towel
  • Leave the skins on or use the paper towel to rub them off
  • Place beans in a bowl and toss with olive oil
  • Bake at 400F degrees for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown and crunchy
  • Remove from oven, season with salt and any herbs/spices you like

For a spicy mix try:

  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER

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DID YOU KNOW…..

Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or reading.

Thirst and hunger signals are almost the same. Grab a glass of water instead of a snack.

One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters followed in a recent study.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

Drinking a minimum of 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45% and bladder cancer by 50%.

Are you drinking the correct amount of water?
As a guideline aim for half your body weight in ounces of water daily. More if you are physically active.

SMOOTHIE BOWLS

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VERY BLUEBERRY BOWL

Ingredients
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 1/2 cup oats, soaked overnight
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 banana (optional)
• Maple syrup or honey, to taste
• Toppings of your choice: goji berries, flaked almonds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, toasted coconut, etc.

Method
Blend all ingredients for the smoothie in your blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a bowl, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

GREEN POWER BOWL

Ingredients
• 1 sliced banana, preferably frozen
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/3 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1-2 handfuls spinach
• 1-2 handfuls kale
• Optional: add 1 tsp of Spirulina

Suggested Toppings
• Granola
• Goji berries
• Cacao nibs
• Bee pollen
• Drizzled almond butter
• Sliced banana/strawberries
• Frozen Fruit
• Chia seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Mixed seeds

Method
Blend all ingredients for the smoothie in your blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a bowl, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

FUN CRUNCH BOWL

Ingredients
• 1 cup chopped kale or baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1½ cups frozen mixed berries
• ½ frozen banana (you can use a regular banana and add some ice)
• 1-2 teaspoons agave

Suggested Toppings
• ½ banana, sliced
• ¼ cup blueberries
• 2-3 strawberries, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut shavings, raw or toasted
• ¼ cup granola of your choice

Method
1 Place the kale or spinach, chia seeds, and milk in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth
2 Add the frozen mixed berries, banana, and agave to the blender. Puree until relatively smooth.
3 Pour into a bowl, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

*Recipes adapted from http://www.greatist.com

WAYS TO SPRUCE UP YOUR DRINKING WATER

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FUN ADDITIONS TO DRINKING WATER:
• Lime
• Lemon
• Orange
• Cucumber slices
• Mint leaves
• Basil leaves
• Strawberries
• Pineapple
• Blueberries
• Grated fresh ginger
• Stevia – Natural sweetener. Liquid form is best for cold water.
• Chia seeds – Good source of omega 3’s. Contain fiber, which help you stay full. No taste. Leave in your water for 5 minutes before drinking.

COMBINATIONS ALONE OR WITH A FEW DROPS OF STEVIA (for added sweetness):
• Lemon + cucumber
• Lemon + cucumber + basil
• Lime + cucumber + basil
• Cucumber + mint
• Blueberry + mint
• Strawberry + mint
• Strawberry + lime
• Strawberry + lime + mint

SPECIALTY COMBOS:
• Lemon + stevia + water = lemonade
• Lime + stevia + water = limeade
• Mint + lime + stevia + water = mojito
• Lemon + stevia + chia = chia lemonade
• Lime + stevia + chia = chia limeade

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